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Easy Red Pepper Jelly

I make red pepper jelly every year to use as an easy and quick appetizer. This recipe is very easy to make even for beginners to the kitchen. This recipe makes twelve 500 ml jars of jelly or twenty-four 250 ml jars. You may cut the recipe in half, however adjusting any of the ingredients ie: cutting the sugar back will result in jelly that will not set up. You can adjust the amount of hot sauce however you should try it using the recommended amount, test before adding to jars and then add more if more heat is desired. I have made this recipe without fail. On the small chance your jelly doesn’t set you will need to bring the jelly to a rolling boil for 3-4 minutes. Possible reasons for this happening is that you may not have boiled it long enough (full rolling boiling not a simmering boil is needed) or there was a high amount of natural juice in your peppers.

Materials needed:

Pot for boiling jars with rack on the inside bottom of the pot (canning pot)

Bowl to set lids in and pour boiling water over.

Canning lifter

Ladle

Wide neck funnel

12- 500ml jars and lids or 24- 250 ml jars and lids

1. Wash the canning jars in hot soapy water and place in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes or place in a 200° oven for 15 minutes to sterilize. Place the lids in a small bowl and set aside until ready to use. Remove the jars from the water or oven and place on a tea towel on the counter until the finished jelly is ready to be added. Place the funnel and the ladle in the boiling water until ready to use.

2. Wash the peppers before using

3. Cut open and remove stems and seeds from peppers.

4. Chop in small 2 inch pieces for ease of mincing in food processor.

5. Add to the food processor and pulse until the peppers are finely chopped/minced.

6. Your peppers make look a little frothy depending on how juicy they are. Both of these pictures are minced to the same size however one has more natural pepper juice.

7. Mince the peppers in the processor in 2-3 batches. Pouring each batch into a stock pot. Continue mincing the next few cups until finished finely chopping all the peppers.

8. Add the pepper to the stock pot. Stir and remove any large pieces that didn’t get finely chopped.

9. Measure and add in the apple cider vinegar

10. Add the red wine vinegar11. Add the water

12. Add all 10 cups of sugar

13. Stir to combine and bring to a fulling rolling boil over high heat boil for 2 minutes and then remove from heat.

14. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes.

15. Remove any seeds that you may have missed and any foam from the edges of the pot if there is any.

16. Stir the jelly a couple of times during the 15 minute cooling period. This is allowing the fruit to cook while preventing overcooking the sugar in the jelly. This step also minimizes floating peppers in the jelly.

17. Measure and set lemon juice aside.18. Place the jelly back over high heat and bring to a boil.

19. Immediately add the lemon juice and boil for 2 minutes.

20. Remove from heat and add the hot sauce. I used a Habanero hot sauce from Mexico.

21. Add the pouches of liquid pectin and stir until completely mixed together.

22. Place the sterilized funnel in the jar and ladle the jelly into the jar until it reaches 1/4 – 1/2 inch of top of jar or top rim (head space)

23. Repeat until all jars are finished being careful not to get jelly on the jar rim. If you do use a clean paper towel dipped in the hot water that was used for sterilizing to wipe the excess jelly off of the rim. Place lid on the jar.

24. Leave 1/4 -1/2 inch head space for jelly. Center lids on the jars and apply the screw bands until fingertip tight.

25. Place the jars of jelly in the canner and return to a boil for 5 minutes.

26. Remove the jars and let cool for 24 hours. Check the seal on the jar. The center should have popped inward. It is recommended to remove screw bands before storage. Label and store in a cool dark place.

Add a label and give as a hostess gift. These little jars are the perfect size to use as a condiment over cream cheese and served with crackers or baguette slices. An easy appetizer using this jelly is to whip cream cheese and spread in a small oven proof dish, top with the pepper jelly and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until hot and bubbly. Being careful not to scorch. Serve on a platter with crackers, baguette slices. apple slices, and prosciutto.

Delicious as a pork or chicken glaze

For gift giving I like to put labels on my jars. You can make your own or order personalized labels from Evermine online as I did here. I prefer using the waterproof labels for my homemade condiments.

This looks so good, I’m getting ready to make it and have a few questions…
1. Can I use powder pectin? I have 57g pouches
2. How much pectin would you use in the recipe if you wanted the jelly to be a little loose
3. Can I substitute jalapeño peppers instead of hot sauce without ruining the recipe?

Yes, you can use powdered pectin in place of liquid pectin. * but the recipe requires a little tweaking. I have tried this adaption before using the Certo brand. You will need to add 1/2 cup more red pepper per box. So approximately 1 cup total more chopped peppers for this recipe. Also you need to add the Certo powder as per the directions on the box. ie: add Certo to saucepan with all ingredients minus the sugar and bring to boil. Add sugar, then bring to a full boil for 1 minute. As far as being a little less gelled you could hold back some of the pectin. If it doesn’t gel enough you will need to add more pectin (* because your jelly now has sugar in it, you will need to add the small amount of crystal pectin thats left to a sauce pan with a small amount of water in a saucepan and bring to boil before adding to the pot of heated rebates jelly) bring jelly to a full boil again once added more Certo/water blend. Bottle as per directions. Hope this helps. Good luck